Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

University of the Santo Tomas made sure to bounce back in its own backyard on Saturday in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament.

Following a close loss to National U, the Growling Tigers gave the Thomasians at Quadricentennial Pavilion a treat with a dominant 111-99 victory over the hapless University of the East.

‘We have so much confidence from coach Pido. He gave it to our vets like Nic (Cabanero) and Forthsky (Padrigao) and even to Collins (Akowe), who’s been playing under the weather for almost two weeks now,’ assistant coach Juben Ledesma said. ‘Of course, we also saw the support of the whole community. We thank them because we really feel it playing in our home court.’

The home bets barely led the Red Warriors at the intermission, 59-55, setting up what could’ve been a classic barn burner.

But UST found its stride in the penultimate frame with 24 quarter points, all while limiting the opposition to 12 points, en route to 3-1 card.

Cabañero headlined the UST victory with 22 points, eight assists, three rebounds and two steals. Padrigao finished with 18 points, like Akowe did in his double-double along with 17 rebounds.

John Abate scored a game-high 27 points for UE, which dropped to 0-4. Dray Caoile scored 23 while Precious Momowei notched a double-double of 16 points and 15 rebounds in a losing effort.

The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has secured its fourth freeze order in a widening probe into substandard and anomalous flood control projects, immobilizing over P4 billion worth of assets, including a ‘luxury compound in an upscale district’ and a fleet of high-end cars.

The Court of Appeals (CA) on Friday granted the AMLC’s request to freeze 57 bank accounts, 10 real properties and nine vehicles of individuals linked to corruption in government-funded flood protection projects.

The move brought the total assets frozen in the investigation to 1,889-covering 1,620 bank accounts, 54 insurance policies, 163 vehicles, 40 properties and 12 e-wallets. The AMLC said the crackdown also netted virtual currencies and unit investment trust funds, underscoring the breadth of financial holdings tied to the alleged scheme.

‘These freezes are real actions that stop corruption,’ said Matthew David, the AMLC executive director, in a statement. ‘Every peso frozen is a peso that cannot be used to sustain corruption.’

The AMLC statement did not provide information on the ownership, location and other details involving assets covered by the freeze orders.

But the value of frozen assets, according to the AMLC, is expected to rise as the inquiry deepens.

Review of transactions

When a bank account is frozen, all activity-transfers, deposits, withdrawals and even account closures-will be suspended. Banks are then required to comb through the accounts and review past transactions to determine whether they were used for illicit activity. Their findings are sent to the AMLC.

The freeze orders also covered insurance policies because these can serve as vehicles for concealing or moving illegal funds. For now, the AMLC is prioritizing such assets because these are easier to identify, locate and freeze.

David earlier said the council might also scrutinize banks after a congressional inquiry flagged large cash transactions linked to the flood control scandal.

On Sept. 30, the AMLC signed a memorandum of agreement with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, the body created by President Marcos to investigate corruption in flood control projects, for closer coordination, data sharing and joint efforts to trace, preserve and recover assets linked to illicit activity.

The agreement also reinforced the council’s authority to investigate money laundering offenses tied to corruption, malversation, plunder, bribery and related crimes.

Three days after a devastating magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck northern Cebu, survivors in coastal and upland villages continued to appeal for food, water, and shelter as relief operations remained slow in reaching far-flung areas.

The provincial government acknowledged that many have indeed not received help but said it was setting up incident command centers (ICCs) in every barangay to fast-track the distribution of urgent necessities, such as water and food.

Authorities have also begun redirecting its operations from clearing and relief work to assisting in rebuilding efforts, including conducting assessments on buildings and other critical infrastructure damaged by the quake.

With help slow in trickling in, some residents in Barangay Tacup, San Remigio, one of the hardest-hit areas, have been forced to barter the little that they have, such as bananas and sweet potatoes, in exchange for clean water.

In a coastal village in Sitio Takdan 2, Barangay Polambato of Bogo City, some families whose homes have been damaged or deemed unsafe have resorted to building makeshift tents. ‘Any help will do, even just for the children. Many households are here, but we feel forgotten compared to those along the main roads,’ said resident Daniela Pepito, noting that relief goods have largely been distributed in more accessible areas.

In Tabogon town, several families in Barangay Ilihan, have turned a cemetery into a temporary shelter for fear of aftershocks.

In Barangay Gairan, survivors have temporarily evacuated upland for safety. But Melvi Maris Rosales, one of the residents, said the aid they have received remained insufficient to cover their daily needs for food and water.

Centralize donations

Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro noted that provincial operations only began on Thursday, Oct. 2, that’s why relief operations have yet to reach some of the victims.

‘We have to understand that our [local government units] are also affected, our mayors also have to deal with what happened to them, that’s why [the] Cebu [provincial government] has been there from Day One to help them out,’ Baricuatro said at a press briefing.

She assured that the provincial government has rushed the setting up of ICCs to coordinate the help pouring in.

Baricuatro also appealed to private donors to centralize their donations to prevent heavy traffic on northern roads and ensure safety amid continuing aftershocks. ‘We appreciate the overwhelming support, but we ask private individuals and organizations to centralize the donations. It is not advisable for everyone to go there and do their own distribution,’ she said.

Many survivors who have yet to receive any assistance expressed frustration over the distribution process.

‘It’s heartbreaking, it really crushes my heart. It’s so painful for people who haven’t eaten at this time,’ said one resident, who requested anonymity.

Along roads in Sogod, Borbon, Tabogon, Medellin, and Daanbantayan, survivors lined up holding cardboard signs begging for food and water, waving at passing cars in hopes of receiving aid.

The earthquake, which struck Cebu on Tuesday, left 68 people dead and caused widespread destruction, damaging homes, schools, churches, and vital infrastructure. The tremor was also strongly felt in Negros Oriental, Bohol, Siquijor, and Leyte, forcing thousands to flee their homes.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Friday amended the number of fatalities from 72 following a validation process by the Management of the Dead and Missing cluster, a subgroup under the disaster response cluster led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

OCD VII regional director Joel Erestain also explained that the discrepancy was due to duplicate entries in initial reports.

‘It’s a matter of double entry,’ he said. He also cautioned that the tally could still change.

Mobile, foot patrols Philippine National Police acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said personnel have been instructed to mobilize resources for disaster response and rehabilitation.

‘We maintain full coordination with the local government units and other agencies involved in the rebuilding process. All our personnel on the ground are actively doing their share to achieve this goal,’ Nartatez said.

He added that police presence in affected areas had been increased, with ‘mobile and foot patrols intensified, checkpoints established in key routes, and close coordination with disaster management teams’ to safeguard residents and act swiftly against any attempt to exploit the situation.

On Friday, a magnitude 5.1 aftershock struck northern Cebu, said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

In its Facebook update, Phivolcs said the tremor occurred at 5:39 a.m., with a magnitude of 5.1, located 18 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, Cebu, at a depth of 10 km.

Severe Tropical Storm Paolo (international name: Matmo) is moving west-northwest toward southern China after exiting the Philippine area of responsibility, the state weather bureau said on Saturday, Oct. 4.

In its 11 a.m. advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) lifted all the tropical wind signals advisory.

However, they said Paolo’s outer rain bands may still bring storm to gale-force gusts over Batanes, northern Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Zambales, and Bataan.

Moderate to rough seas are expected over the seaboards of Ilocos Region, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Zambales, mainland Cagayan, Isabela and Bataan. The bureau warned that small vessels and motorbancas should avoid sailing in these conditions.

Pagasa located Paolo’s center at 440 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur. It retained its momentum, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center, gusts of up to 135 kph, and was moving west-northwest at 20 kph.

Paolo may re-intensify into a typhoon while moving over the West Philippine Sea.

Meanwhile, a low-pressure area being monitored outside the Philippine area of responsibility now has a high chance of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours. /das

Victims of financial fraud will have to be extra careful when transacting with people or organizations claiming to offer help, as they can potentially be scammed the second time around, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) warned.

The corporate watchdog on Friday said these ‘recovery’ and ‘advance-fee recovery’ schemes had been proliferating on social media platforms.

These accounts are not authorized by the SEC to provide fund recovery services, the regulator clarified.

In an advisory, the SEC said perpetrators typically offered to retrieve funds previously lost to scams or other fraudulent schemes in exchange for advance fees or personal information.

Some will claim to be affiliated with government agencies or law enforcement authorities without any lawful basis. They will also likely fabricate testimonials, documents or credentials to appear credible and legitimate, the commission pointed out.

At the same time, these individuals or entities may employ ‘high-pressure tactics’ to force victims to make immediate payments or disclose sensitive personal or financial information.

‘The commission warns the public not to transact with, remit any sum to or disclose personal information to such individuals or groups,’ the SEC said in its advisory.

‘Victims of scams are strongly urged to lodge their complaints directly with the proper authorities for appropriate action,’ it added.

Intensified crackdown

This comes as the regulator intensifies its crackdown on individuals and entities potentially defrauding the public, including unauthorized online lending platforms (OLPs).

Separately, the SEC Financing and Lending Companies Department ordered Microdot Lending Corp. to stop its operations, saying that the company had supposedly been operating two undisclosed OLPs, Credit Peso and MF Cash.

Under SEC Memorandum Circular No. 19, Series of 2019, all financing and lending companies are required to disclose the OLPs they operate.

The SEC has also been receiving complaints about Microdot for alleged unfair debt collection practices, violating the Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act of 2022. INQ

The Supreme Court has ordered a five-day suspension of work in select courts in Iloilo City, Cebu City, Bogo City, and Roxas City from October 6 to 10 to allow structural and electrical engineers to inspect the Halls of Justice following last week’s 6.9-magnitude earthquake.

Under OCA Circular No. 291-2025, issued on October 4 by Court Administrator Ma. Theresa Dolores C. Gomez-Estoesta, the suspension covers all first- and second-level courts in the affected areas. Acting Chief Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen authorized the measure after the tremor damaged parts of Cebu province and was felt across the Visayas.

During the suspension, courts will remain available on an on-call basis for urgent judicial action such as bail applications, release orders, petitions for habeas corpus, and marriage solemnization. Judges were also encouraged to conduct videoconferencing for time-sensitive proceedings such as arraignments and pre-trials to prevent delays. Executive and presiding judges were instructed to find alternative hearing venues and coordinate with their respective regional court managers.

Although Iloilo did not sustain major physical destruction reports comparable to Cebu, the knock-on effects-power outages, infrastructure stress, and concern over structural integrity-appear to have motivated precautionary action from the judiciary to protect court personnel and litigants.

The suspension of court work allows structural and electrical engineers to assess the safety of court buildings in Iloilo and other affected jurisdictions before normal operations resume. As of now, no reports have surfaced of major damage to court buildings in Iloilo City directly attributable to the quake. But the judicial branch’s move reflects a more conservative posture in response to regional seismic risk and the potential for latent structural vulnerabilities.

The September 30 earthquake killed at least 70 people, mostly in northern Cebu, and injured hundreds, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Hospitals in Cebu City were forced to evacuate patients to open grounds, while widespread brownouts hit Iloilo City shortly after the tremor struck. INQ

More legal experts and human rights groups have banded together to oppose the Senate resolution that seeks house arrest for former President Rodrigo Duterte while he faces charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Among the signatories of the joint statement released on Friday are the Philippine Coalition for the ICC, Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates, In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity (iDefend), Ateneo Human Rights Center, Center for International Law, Philippine Human Rights Information Center, Movement Against Disinformation, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, Coalition against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific, Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa, Medical Action Group, Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance, Alyansa para sa Karapatang Pantao, IDEALS, Network against Killings in the Philippines, Free Legal Assistance Group, Union of Peoples’ Lawyers Mindanao, and Balay Rehabilitation Center.

No basis

Among the legal experts who also signed the statement were Rep. Leila de Lima, dean Jose Mari Tirol, dean Manuel Quibod, professor Cirilo Yuro, Jr.; and lawyers Roel Dapiton, Larry Firmeza, Kchyrziahshayne Dinopol, Alyanna Cortum, Alfredo Arungayan III, Nestor Moreno, Cynthia Ng, Fitz Macalalag, John Maghopoy, and Ricardo Escanlar of the University of San Agustin College of Law.

In their statement, the groups stressed that the tribunal based in The Hague, the Netherlands is ‘insulated’ from the ‘special arrangements’ that the Senate is requesting for Duterte, who is detained at the ICC facility at the Scheveningen prison.

‘Independent of political pressure, the court operates in accordance with the Rome Statute and will determine the terms of Duterte’s detention and any interim release under articles 58 (1) and 60 (2),’ they said, referring to the provisions for the issuance of summons as well as initial proceedings in the ICC.

The group stressed that the house arrest request has no basis since Duterte, as an ICC detainee, is subject to regular health monitoring and evaluation based on international standards.

‘Principled course’

‘This includes frequent and unannounced monitoring and evaluation by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which in turn follows the framework of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules),’ they said.

The groups urged the Philippine government to instead take a ‘principled course’ that vows to cooperate with international institutions, and pressed the Senate to ‘desist from political overtures that compromise the safety and dignity of victims.’

ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah told Filipino reporters on Thursday that the tribunal cannot ‘speculate’ on the outcome of Duterte’s request for temporary liberty, and that it is up to the Pre-Trial Chamber (PTC) I judges ‘to make a decision on this matter.’

For its part, Hustisya, a group made up of families and relatives of extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations, said the Senate resolution only aims to ‘shield power.’

‘It spits on the memory of the thousands of Filipinos slaughtered in Duterte’s so-called war on drugs and war against dissent, the poor dragged from their homes, the fathers executed in front of their children, the mothers and sisters who still grieve, the families who continue to search for answers,’ the group said in a statement on Thursday.

‘Instead of accountability, the Senate has chosen denial,’ it added.

For Cristina Palay, secretary general of Karapatan, the Senate resolution only proved that the upper chamber is ‘packed with Duterte lackeys and apologists.’ ‘This is a Senate bereft of integrity,’ she said.

Heavy traffic is expected around the Philippine Arena in Bulacan as K-pop group TWICE stages its ‘This Is For The World’ tour on Saturday, October 4.

According to the advisory released by the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), the event is scheduled from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. They advised motorists to load their RFID accounts and plan trips ahead of time.

NLEX advised concert attendees to use Ciudad de Victoria exit while motorists bound for Bocaue or Santa Maria are urged to take alternate routes via Marilao, Bocaue, or Tambubong exits.

Traffic personnel will be deployed along NLEX to assist and manage vehicle flow.

TWICE, formed in 2015 by JYP Entertainment, is a nine-member South Korean girl group. They last performed in the Philippines on Sept. 23 at the same venue. /das

Cebu Oversea Hardware Company Inc. (Cohci) unveiled its flagship retail hub in Cavite on Friday. The company seeks to capitalize on the expanding home improvement and construction market in Southern Luzon.

The family-owned enterprise said its latest facility is strategically positioned to provide mid-to-premium products to homeowners, builders and contractors at competitive prices.

‘Cavite’s rapid urbanization and infrastructure growth make it an ideal location for this expansion,’ Cohci CEO Michael Co said in a statement on Friday.

Cohci did not disclose the investment cost of the facility, which is situated along Centennial Road in Kawit. The store currently employs 60 workers and is expected to help stimulate local economic activity. It intends to meet the growing demand in construction and home improvement.

The 5,847 square meter facility offers a wide range of products, including tiles, sanitary wares, plumbing and kitchen fixtures. There are also lighting and electrical supplies, hand and power tools, hardware, paints, wood and flooring materials and home furniture.

For DIYers and pros

Cohci said the firm’s Cavite branch combines a do-it-yourself style shopping concept with a curated showroom. This enables Cohci to serve both consumers and professionals in construction, design and property development.

‘By merging DIY shopping with an elevated showroom experience, we’re giving customers the convenience of a one-stop shop, along with the inspiration they need for their projects,’ said Ferdinand Co, chief operating officer of Modern Trade-Manila at Cohci.

According to Cohci, the latest store reflects their commitment to innovation and expansion.

The brothers Co Tiong and Co King Ting in 1952 founded Cohci in 1952. It started as a general merchandise store and has become a diversified group of businesses.

To date, the company is branching out to big box DIY stores, malls and aquaculture. /rwd

Continuing her Asian swing, Alex Eala is set to compete in the 2025 Wuhan Open qualifiers in China.

Seeded fifth in the qualifying draw of the prestigious event, Eala faces Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima in the opening round on Saturday, no earlier than 5:30 p.m.

Eala is ranked No. 58 in the world, while the 24-year-old Uchijima sits at No. 92.

The Wuhan Open is the final WTA 1000 tournament of the 2025 calendar. It offers eight qualifier spots in the 56-player singles draw.

Eala flew to Wuhan immediately after her quarterfinal exit in the Suzhou Open WTA 125 on Friday.

In her second tournament in Asia, Eala played all three matches in Suzhou in grueling three-setters-including a round-of-16 duel that lasted more than three hours.

‘Some crazy matches this week. Back to the drawing board with a bit more experience and a lot of sweat lost,’ Eala wrote in an Instagram post.

She also competed in the Jingshan Tennis Open late last month.

The Wuhan Open marks Eala’s return to a WTA 1000 event since the Canadian Open last July.